Machine for feeding and printing cans



June 6, 1967 L. G. DUBul-r MACHINE FOR FEEDING AND PRINTING GANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 5, 1966 Bt r ,A w vs. 5f@ H lol um fr www@ ff H ...l w P.. m, w 3 w ML.

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United States Patent O 9 claims. (ci. 10i-4o) The present invention relates to the field of printing, and particularly to the printing of the surface of objects having openings, and especially aerosol spray cans or other cylindrical objects.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the automatic printing of aerosol spray cans or other cylindrical objects having a large diameter opening, or mouth. It is already known that the printing of such containers requires a first enamell-ing operation for the purpose of coating their surface with an enamel layer, which is generally white. This is eifectuated in a suitable enamelling installation and the coated objects are then placed on rods carried by moving chains and the enamel is permitted to dry while the objects are :being carried on these rods. Once this coating of enamel is dry, the printing operation is generally carried out by the oi-set or silk screen printing process. According to the prior art, each object is generally brought into the printing position by removing it, either manually or mechanically, from the drying chain rods and by placing it in ,a holder associated with the printing machine. Each object is then printed in one or more colors by one of the above-mentioned printing processes. After having been printed, the object is either mechanically or manually removed from the printing machine and placed on another rod carrying chain where the printing is dried. It may be readily appreciated that such a procedure is time consuming and costly because it requires several different machines. In addition, the procedure is somewhat difficult because it requires multiple handling of objects while the printing thereon is still wet.

It is a primary object of the present invention to eliminate these drawbacks.

It i-s another object of the present invention to reduce the amount of handling which an object mus-t undergo between the time when it receives an enamel coating and the time when the printing placed thereon has dried.

It is still another object of the present invention to permit the enamel coating placed on the objects to dry, to carry out the printing operation and to permit the printing to dry in a completely automatic manner without taking the objects from the carrying rods on which they were originally pla-ced after having received an enamel coating.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide for the automatic handling of the objects in order to permit them to be printed and in order to permit the printing to be dried in a simple and eticient manner.

In accordance `with the principles of the present invention, it is generally contemplated to provide a novel apparatus for supporting and driving a rod-carrying chain on which the objects to be processed are disposed, this apparatus being placed in a drying chamber which is adapted to facilitate the drying of both the enamel coating and the printing on each object.

The apparatus according to the present invention is arranged to cooperate with a printing device and is constructed for conveying a succession of generally cylindrical, large-mouth objects so as to permit each object to be printed in succession and to permit the printing to be dried, this apparatus including, basically, a drying chain ,and a plurality of substantially horizontal object-carrying rods carried by the chain and extending later-ally therefrom at regularly spaced intervals therealong, each of the rods being arranged to extend into the opening of a respective Hce object thereby to support the same. The chain passes through a printing station whereat the printing device may inprint the objects being carried by the rods as they move through the sta-tion. In addition there is provided chain drive means operatively associated with the chain for driving it at a continuous rate throughout all but at least the prin-ting station, the chain drive means including intermittent motion producing means associated with that portion 0f the chain disposed at the printing station for temporarily halting the movement of that chain portion and then permitting it to resume its movement in consequence of which each object then disposed on a rod at the printing station is temporarily halted therein for a predetermined period of time suliicient to permit the respective object to be imprinted.

The apparatus `further includes holding means disposed at the printing station for holding each obje-ct in turn during the period when the chain portion associated with such object is temporarily halted by the intermittent motion producing means. There are additionally provided holding control means connected to control the holding means for causing the latter, during each such period of time, to lift the object then at the printing station out of holding contact with is associated rod, to hold such object while it is being printed, and to release such object to permit it to once again be supported by its -associated rod and to be carried out of the printing station after such predetermined period of time.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will -become apparent upon consideration of the following description When taken in conjunction with the accompanying draw-ings in which:

FIGURE l is an elevational front view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a pl-an View of the device of FIGURE l with portions removed `for the sake of clarity.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the device of FIGURE 1 with portions removed for the sake of clarity.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation-al view showing a detail of one unit of the device of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 5 is a detail plan view of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 4.

Referring specifically to FIGURES 1 to 3 as a group, it may be seen that the device constituting a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a drying chain 1 carrying a plurality of transversely extending rods 2 each arranged to carry an empty, one piece aerosol spray can 3 whose outer surface has previously received a layer of enamel in a suitable enamel applying machine (not shown).

This chain is driven in a continuous manner by toothed wheels 4 tand 5 which are in turn driven by a toothed driving wheel 6 through the intermediary of drive chains 7 and 8, respectively. The drive shaft 9 to which the wheel 6 is keyed constitutes the output shaft of a speed reducer 10 which is driven by a suitable motor (not shown).

On the speed reducer shaft 9 there is also keyed a pinion 11 (FIGURE 2) which drives a shaft 13 through the intermediary of a pinion 12. On the shaft 13 is keyed a pinion 14 which drives a pinion 15 through the intermediary of a drive chain 16. This pinion 15 is keyed on a shaft 17 (FIGURE 3) which drives the printing machine.

This printing machine may be, for example, a silk screen printing machine of the type described in U.S. Patent No. 3,090,300 -and French Patent No. 1,263,239 and is so constructed that one revolution of the shaft 17 corresponds to one com-plete printing cycle as well as to the displacement of each rod 2 of chain 1 from one of the positions illustrated to the next succeeding position.

On the shaft 9 is also keyed a crank 18 which is arranged to drive a six-arm Maltese cross 19 mounted for free rotation on a shaft 20. On this shaft 20 there is also keyed a chain drive pinion 21 which drives, in a stepwise manner, a pinion 23 through the intermediary of a chain 22. The pinion 23 is keyed t0 a shaft 25 (FIGURE 3) on which a pinion 24 is also keyed. Thus, the pinion 24 rotates in the same manner as the pinion 23. Another pinion 26 is mounted on an arm 28 whose height may be Vadjusted by a set screw 29 in such a manner as to vary the height of pinion 26. The pinion 26 is arranged in supporting relationship with the chain 1 for permitting the rods 2 to come in succession into a position below the silk printing screen 27. The adjustment of screw 29 permits the height of each rod 2 to be adjusted in accordance with the diameter of the can or tube 3 which it contains. As a result, the provision of the adjustable arm 28 and screw 29 permits a single machine to process cans 3 having a wide range of diameters.

The chain 1 is also driven around a pinion 30 mounted on a shaft 31 and a pinion 32 mounted on a shaft 33. These two shafts 31 and 33 are each mounted on a respective end of a rocking lever 34 which is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 35 carried by the machine frame. Thus, the chain rolls successively over pinions 4, 30, 26, 24, 32 and 5.

The pinions 4 and 5 are driven at -a constant speed while the pinion 24 is driven in an intermittent, or stepwise, manner.

Each time the intermittently driven pinion 24 stops, the chain portion between pinions 24 and 26 halts and the pinion 32 mounted on the rocking lever 34 is urged upwardly by the tension produced in the chain by the continuous movement of wheel 5. This upward movement of pinion 32 causes the pinion 30 to move downwardly so as to take up the slack created in the chain by the continuous rotation of wheel 4.

Conversely, when the pinion 24 undergoes a stepwise advance each time the Maltese cross 19 advances, the rocking lever 34 pivots in the other direction as a result of the tension created in the chain portion around pinion 30 and the slack present in the chain portion around pinion 32.

As has been noted above, the chain is driven by wheels 4 and 5 in a continuous manner. However, it may be necessary from time to time to halt the printing machine in order to re-ink the printing screen or to replace or adjust the printing screen or its squeegee, for example, without halting the advance of the chain 1. In order to permit this result to be achieved, the pinion 14, which is mounted on the shaft 13 and which drives the printing machine, and the pinion 21, which is mounted on shaft 20 and which gives the stepwise movement to the chain 1, are ach driven through the intermediary of a separate direct-drive dog clutch unit. On the continuous drive shaft 13 is disposed a dog clutch unit having a portion 36 which is keyed to shaft 13 and a portion 37 which is mounted to rotate with pinion 12, the pinion 12 and the portion 37 being mounted to rotate freely with respect to the shaft 13. Each of the portions 36 and 37 has a single, substantially semicircular tooth so that the portion 37 can drive the portion 36 and the shaft 13 only when the portions 36 and 37 have a single, predetermined angular position with respect to one another. The other dog clutch unit includes portions 36 and 37 disposed on the shaft 20. Each of these portions is formed with six equispaced teeth disposed around its circumference for permitting the two portions to engage when they have any one of six angular positions with respect to one another, it being understood that, in general, the number of teeth in portions 36' and 37' should be equal to the number of arms provided on cross 19 s0 as to ensure that the intermittent motion of chain 1 will -always be synchronized with the operating cycle of the printing machine. The portion 37 is mounted to rotate with the Matltese cross 19, both the portion 37"and the cross 19 being mounted to rotate freely with respect to shaft 20. The portion 36 is keyed to shaft 26 and is thus mounted to rotate with pinion 21. Thus, when the two clutches 36-37 and 36-37 are de- 4- coupled, the pinion 14 stops, thereby bringing the printing machine to a halt, and the shaft 20 and pulley 21 are permitted to rotate freely and continue to be driven, through the intermediary of pinion 24 and chain 22, by chain 1. In order to simultaneously effectuate the engagement of the decoupling of the two clutches, there is provided a pivotable control fork 53 for operating the clutch portion 36 and a pivotable control fork 54 for operating the clutch portion 36. The two forks are interconnected by a connecting rod 55 and are both driven simultaneously by a manual control rod 52.

During the operation of the above-described apparatus, the empty spray cans 3 carried by the rod 2 mounted on chain 1 are brought in sequence under the printing screen 27. In order to effectuate the printing of each can during the period when its portion of chain 1 is stopped, it is first necessary to place the can in its printing position and then to cause it to rotate in unison with the displacement of the printing screen 27. FGURES 4 and 5 illustrate a preferred embodiment of holding means for carrying out these operations.

For placing each can 3 in its printing position, there is provided a rotatably mounted support base 3S below which are disposed guide means constituted by two conical rollers 39 and 40. For causing the base of can 3 to ride upwardly on the rollers 39 and 40 and to seat on support base 38, there is provided moving means constituted by two rollers 42 and 43 each having a pointed tip 44, 45, respectively, and a horizontal support surface 46, 47, respectively. This means also includes another roller 48 which is disposed on a vertical axis. The arrangement is mounted on a stirrup 49 which is driven horizontally, substantially in the direction of the axis of can 3, by a pneumatic jack 50 whose operation is controlled by a cam 51 (FIGURE 3) mounted to rotate with the printing machine shaft 17. When, just prior to the start of a printing operation, the shaft 17 rotates to a position in which the cam 51 causes the jack 50 to drive the stirrup 49 to the right, the tips 44 and 45 push the can 3 in a substantially axial direction so as to cause the end near its base to ride up the conical rollers 39 and 40 and so to raise its neck to a point where it rests on the horizontal support surfaces 46 and 47. In addition, the lower horizontal surface of roller 48 also bears against the neck of can 3 and the can base comes to seat on the support face of base 38. The can 3 is then in proper position for printing and is no longer supported by its associated rod 2.

During the printing of the outer surface of can 3, the support base 38 is driven in rotation in synchronism with the printing machine by a standard rack and pinion drive 38 (FIGURE 3). The printing of the can 3 takes place while the portion of the chain carrying its associated rod 2 is halted, i.e., during an interval between successive advances of the Maltese cross 19. When the printing has been terminated, cam 51 has rotated into a position where it permits the jack 59 to retract the stirrup 49, permitting the base of can 3 to slide downwardly along the conical rollers 39 and 40 and to come back into the position shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 in which it is once again supported by its rod 2. Maltese cross 19 then undergoes another stepwise rotation which acts to advance the chain 1 through the intermediary of the rotation of pinion 24. The chain 1 then conveys the printed can away from the printing station while permitting its printing to dry.

It may thus be seen that the present invention provides an apparatus which permits the chain to be driven as a whole in a continuous manner while permitting a certain portion of the chain to be halted for a sufficiently long time to permit the printing of the object carried by this portion of the chain. In addition, the apparatus of the present invention permits the operation of the printing machine to be halted, for maintenance purposes for example, without interfering with the continuous movement of the chain. The novel apparatus of the present invention also permits the printing of each object to be fully synchronized with the periods when each succeeding portion of the chain is stopped. Additionally, the apparatus of the present invention permits the object to be held between a support base and a group of suitable rollers in such a way that it is automatically placed precisely in the position required for carrying out the printing operation.

It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes, and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.

What in claimed in:

1. In combination with a printing device disposed at a printing station, a conveyor apparatus for conveying a succession of objects to permit each object in turn to have at least a portion of the surface thereof printed and to permit the printing to dry, each object having an opening whose diameter is no greater than that of the surface to be printed, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) a conveyor chain;

(b) a plurality of generally horizontally extending object-carrying rods carried by said chain and extending laterallly therefrom at regularly spaced intervals therealong, each of said rods being arranged to extend into the opening of a respective object thereby to support thesame, said chain passing through the printing station whereat the printing device may imprint the objects;

(c) chain drive means operatively associated with said chain for driving the same at a continuous rate throughout all but at least the printing station, said chain drive means including intermittent motion producing means asscociated with that portion of said chain disposed at the printing station for temporarily halting the movement of said chain portion and then permitting it to resume its movement, in consequence of which each object then disposed on a rod at the printing station is temporarily halted therein for a predetermined period of time;

(d) holding means disposed at the printing station for holding each object in turn during said period when the chain portion associated with such object is temporarily halted by said intermittent motion producing means; and y (e) holding control means connected to control said holding means for causing said holding means, during each said period, to lift the object then at the printing station out of holding contact with its associated rod, to hold such object while it is being printed, and to release such object to permit it to once again be supported by its associated rod and to be carried out of the printing station after said predetermined period of time.

2. In combination with a printing device, a conveyor apparatus for conveying a succession of objects to permit at least one surface of each object to be printed in succession and to permit the printing to dry, each object having an opening whose diameter is no greater than that of the surface to be printed, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) a conveyor chain;

(b) a plurality of generally horizontally extending object-carrying rods carried by said chain and extending laterally therefrom at regularly spaced intervals therealong, each of said rods being arranged to extend into the opening of a respective object thereby to support the same, said chain passing through a printing station whereat the printing device may irnprint the object as the same moves through such printing station;

(c) chain drive means operatively associated with said chain for driving the same at a continuous rate throughout all but at least such printing station and for driving said chain intermittently in at least such printing station, in consequence of which objects being'moved through such printing station remain temporarily halted therein for a period of time sufcient to permit the respective objects to be imprinted;

(d) printing device drive means for driving the printing device; and

(e) motion transmitting means disposed between said chain drive means and said printing device drive means for causing said chain drive means to drive said printing device drive means, said motion transmitting means being selectively disengageable for permitting the stopping of the printing device without interrupting the motion of said chain.

3. An arrangement as defined in claim 2 wherein said motion transmitting means comprises: a direct-drive dog clutch having Atwo portions each provided with a single tooth; and control means for selectively engaging said two clutch portions.

4. An arrangement as delined in claim 1 wherein said intermittent motion producing means comprises: a rst pinion on which said chain is mounted, said pinion being disposed in proximity to such printing station; a Maltese cross operatively connected for driving said first pinion in a stepwise manner; rotary driving crank means disposed for driving said cross in a stepwise manner; and selectively engageable clutch means disposed between said irst pinion and said Maltese cross for selectively disconnecting said Maltese cross from said iirst pinion; said arrangement further comprising: printing device drive means for driving the printing device; and motion transmitting means disposed between said chain drive means and said printing device drive means for causing said chain drive means to drive said printing device drive means, said motion transmitting means being selectively disengageable for permitting the stopping of the printing device without interrupting the motion of said chain; and wherein said clutch means are disengageable simultaneously with said motion transmitting means.

5. An arrangement as deiined in claim 4, wherein said clutch means comprises a direct-drive dog clutch composed of two mutually engageable portions each having six regularly spaced engaging teeth, and wherein said Maltese cross has six arms.

6. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, Wheren said chain drive means comprises: a rocking lever mounted to pivot about an axis disposed at a point intermediate its ends; a rst auxiliary pinion carrying said chain and rotatably at one end of said lever and to one side of such printing station; and a second auxiliary pini-on carrying said chain and rotatably mounted at the other end of said lever and to the other side of such printing station; whereby pivotal movement of said rocking lever permits said chain to advance continuously past said rst and second auxiliary pinions while permitting said portion of said chain disposed in such printing station to move in an intermittent manner.

7. An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said holding means comprises: a support base for supporting the bottom of each object; guide means for guiding each object into engaging position with said support base; and moving means mounted to move in a substantially axial direction with respect to the object for moving the object along said guide means and holding the object in engagement with said base.

3. An arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein said guide means is constituted by a pair of conical rollers mounted on horizontal axes below the axis of the object and having their tips directed toward the object, and said moving means is constituted by at least two horizontal support surfaces for supporting the neck of the object, and wherein said control means comprises a pneumatic jack connected to move said moving means in said axial direction.

9. In combination with a printing device, a conveyor apparatus for conveying a succession of objects to permit at least one surface of each object to be printed in succession and to permit the printing to dry, each object having an opening Whose diameter is no greater than that of the surface to be printed, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) a conveyor chain; (b) a plurality of generally horizontally extending object-carrying rods carried by said chain and extending laterally therefrom at regularly spaced intervals therealong, each of said rods being arranged to extend into the opening of a respective object thereby to support the same, said chain passing through a printing station whereat the printing device .may imprint the object as the same moves through such printing station; and (c) chain drive means operatively associated with said chain for driving the ysame at a continuous rate throughout all but at least such printing station and for driving such chain intermittently in at least such printing station, in consequence of which objects' proximity to such printing station; stepwise motion 2 producing means operatively connected for driving u said first pinion in a stepwise manner, rotary power means operatively connected for driving said stepwise motion producing means; a second pinion disposed on the other side of such printing station from said first pinion and supporting said chain; and adjusting means operatively associated with said second pinion for selectively adjusting the height of said second pinion in order to control the vertical position of each of said rods when it is in such printing station, whereby the adjustment of the height of such second pinion permits the printing of objects having a wide range of diameters.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,435,224 2/1948 Klopfenstein et al. 101-35 X 2,796,164 6/1957 Hakogi 101-40 X 3,125,950 3/1964 Ayers 101-35 X 3,250,212 5/1966 Uschmann 101-115 X 3,250,213 5/1966 Brigham et al 101-40 WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Examiner.

W. F. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A PRINTING DEVICE DISPOSED AT A PRINTING STATION, A CONVEYOR APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING A SUCCESSION OF OBJECTS TO PERMIT EACH OBJECT IN TURN TO HAVE AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE SURFACE THEREOF PRINTED AND TO PERMIT THE PRINTING TO DRY, EACH OBJECT HAVING AN OPENING WHOSE DIAMETER IS NO GREATER THAN THAT OF THE SURFACE TO BE PRINTED, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A CONVEYOR CHAIN; (B) A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING OBJECT-CARRYING RODS CARRIED BY SAID CHAIN AND EXTENDING LATERALLY THEREFROM AT REGULARLY SPACED INTERVALS THEREALONG, EACH OF SAID RODS BEING ARRANGED TO EXTEND INTO THE OPENING OF A RESPECTIVE OBJECT THEREBY TO SUPPORT THE SAME, SAID CHAIN PASSING THROUGH THE PRINTING STATION WHEREAT THE PRINTING DEVICE MAY IMPRINT THE OBJECTS; (C) CHAIN DRIVE MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CHAIN FOR DRIVING THE SAME AT A CONTINUOUS RATE THROUGHOUT ALL BUT AT LEAST THE PRINTING STATION, SAID CHAIN DRIVE MEANS INCLUDING INTERMITTENT MOTION PRODUCING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PORTION OF SAID CHAIN DISPOSED AT THE PRINTING STATION FOR TEMPORARILY HALTING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID CHAIN PORTION AND THEN PERMITTING IT TO RESUME ITS MOVEMENT, IN CONSEQUENCE OF WHICH EACH OBJECT THEN DISPOSED ON A ROD AT THE 